Majority of the publications recently reported of an Essex roofing firm being fined £165,000 after a worker sustained fatal injuries in a fall.
No appropriate safety precautions were in place due to inadequate planning and supervision. This already put the employee at risk when repairing a warehouse roof. Standing on a fragile industrial roof light caused him to fall more than 10 meters below onto concrete flooring, sustaining fatal injuries.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Glyn Davies, said “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known.
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Another roofing company in Lancashire was fined £20,000, leaving the Director with criminal and financial charges, following a tower scaffold fall.
Two employees and their boss were installing signage on a retail building. The boss left, leaving the two employees to finish the work. The tower scaffold moved away from the building causing the two employees to fall approximately 2 meters below, causing fatal injuries.
HSE found that the scaffolding was not erected by a professional and the incident was not reported as required by the RIDDOR. Trying to cut corners to save time and money actually does the opposite.
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Health & safety regulations can seem frustrating, excessive and sometimes expensive. Without it, it actually can damage a business, cost money in the long-run as well putting people’s lives at risk.
It is worth being proactive and having health & safety measures in place.
Consider taking our Construction Safety Training Package, a perfect addition for any business, looking at three areas of importance: Working at Height, Manual Handling and Asbestos Awareness. For more information, have a look at our course page:
https://www.gaskellsafety.co.uk/citb-construction-safety-package/
